Solvay volleyball conquers Marcellus in four sets

The dynamic of Solvay’s girls volleyball rivalry with Marcellus had, for a long time, tilted in favor of the Mustangs as it piled up one Section III title after another.

Perhaps things are changing in the other direction, though, as in last Tuesday night’s clash the Bearcats prevailed over Marcellus in four sets.

Solvay got off to the ideal start, rolling through the first set 25-15, only to see the Mustangs dominate the second set 25-12 and appear to gain control.

But the Bearcats would throttle Marcellus 25-11 in the third set, and then carry that confidence over to the fourth set, where it won 25-20 to close out the match.

Lauren Bandera was quite active on the back line, picking up 17 assists and 16 digs, while Jackie Gardner amassed seven assists, six digs, five aces, four kills and three blocks. Brenna Poli and Julie Tomoroska both had 10 digs.

Somehow, Marcellus turned this around and nearly upset defending Class B champion Skaneateles on Thursday night, only to fall to the Lakers in five sets.

After losing the first set 25-19, the Mustangs won the next two sets by narrow margins of 25-22 and 26-14. Somehow, Skaneateles absorbed all this, pulled even with a 25-19 fourth set, and won the final set 25-15.

Valentine, with 19 digs, and Delia, with 13 digs, played superb defense next to Bryant, who recorded 19 assists. Kristin Field earned six aces. Suzanna Sylcox managed 10 kills and six digs, with Smith and Zoe Higgins each getting five kills. Skaneateles featured, on its balanced front line, Malorie Olin (14 kills), Mia Campanile (12 kills) and Natalie Roche, who had 11 kills and 12 digs.

Westhill, still unbeaten as the week got underway, stumbled early at Cazenovia on Wednesday night, dropping the first set 25-8, but pulled itself together in a 25-22 second set and then beat the Lakers 25-18 and 25-22 in the next two sets to prevail in four.

West Genesee opened its week with an impressive effort last Tuesday at Cicero-North Syracuse, sweeping past the Northstars 25-12, 25-14, 25-19.

Kara Sweeney, in addition to her 23 assists, picked up five aces and five digs. Jessie Allen had a team-best 10 kills, while Courtney Shoults and Brianna Richardson each got five kills. Shoults added nine digs as Brianna Demauro got 15 digs. Katie McIntyre and Kayla Case had eight digs apiece, with Lynn Copeland managing four kills.

On Thursday night, the Wildcats rolled past Oswego 25-9, 25-19, 25-22. Copeland, with 12 kills, and Allen, with nine kills and seven digs, led on the front line, with Richardson and Grace Osterdale both earning five kills. Shoults had 14 digs, three kills and three aces as Sweeney managed 24 assists and Hannah Bakowski had six assists. Demauro finished with eight digs.

Bishop Ludden was close in the opening set against Fulton, but still lost to the Red Raiders 25-22, 25-14, 25-12. Jill Kompf had six assists, passing it to Cassie Griglock, who had three kills, and Hailey Bevard, who got two kills. Allison Barletta picked up four digs.

Jordan-Elbridge, 1-5 starting the week, lost to Jamesville-DeWitt 25-12, 25-10, 25-13 last Tuesday and, a night later, played a closer match against Phoenix, though it lost 25-19, 25-19, 25-13.

In the latter of these two matches, Kali Kimak got three aces and added two kills, the same total as Ashley Hamlin and Mackenzie Mannion, with Haley Schwarting and Jessie Karagosian each gaining three assists. Mannion and Brittany Hares each got two aces as Mannion contributed four digs.

Then Ludden took its turn at J-D Thursday night and lost, 25-7, 25-21, 25-20, to the Red Rams. At least the Gaelic Knights played better in the second and third sets as Kompf got five assists and Abby Downton earned three kills. Bevard and Barletta both finished with three digs.